Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1887-03-17
Correspondence of the BeaconD
WASHINGTON, March IA, 1887.

Ratienr of NJ r HralitsTF re k9G oafnT IA
rumor has been rife upon the subject
Of the course which the President will
be likely to pursue with reference to
ex Recorder Matthews. Mr.. Matthews
il still in Washington, and during the
past week he has had several inter.
yiews with the President, and if puolic
opinion may be relied upon will soon
be given a Government position which,
If not so lucrative as that Of Recorder
Of Deeds, will serve to allay the dis
appointm ent occasioned be the failure
upon the part Of the Senate of confirm
his appointment to that office. Those
who are in a position which should
enable them to speak authoritively
upon the subject assert that the Presi
dent has determined to find place for
him, and it is thought that he will
either be appointed to the position Of
Commissioner of Patents, made vacant
By the resignation of Commissioner
Montgomery, or that he will succeed
Mr.. Graves as Chief of the Bureau of
Engraving and Printing, each Of which
positions commands salary Of $4,000
per year. There has been a general
clamor, especially among the Southern
Democrats, for Mr.. Graves scalp for
some time past, and it is possible that
the President will so far yield to the
pressure as to reinstate Mr. Graves in
his former position as Assistant United
States Treasurer, and place Mr.. Mat
ghews in charge Of the Printing
Bureau.
Preparations for she great National
Drill in May are being perfected, and
the committee in charge is determined
that the affair shall be in every way q
success. At meeting OF business
men of the District, held on THU day
evening last, it was decided that a
grand dress carnival should be held at
the close of the drill, and arrange
ments are being perfected by which
the outfits used at the Mardi Gras in
New Orleans recently will be secured.
There is much speculation among
the members OF the District bar as 10
who will be chosen by the President
to sac, eed Judge Macarthur, whose
resignation takes effect from the lst Of
April. There is an opinion prevalent
TO the effect that ex-Representative
Randolph Tucker, OF Virginia, will be
likely to receive the appointment.
The nams OF ex Representative Will
liam L. Cox, Of North Carolina, is also
favorably mentioned for the office.
The death o! Captain Eads causes
the disappearance from legislative and
other circles in Washington Of one of
the most notable Of all men who have
been prominent here during the past
twenty years.
The question as to whether an extra
session of Congress will be called or
not IS still an open one. The effect
produced 10y the failure Of The river
and ha,bor, the general deficiency.
and o'has Important measures, is be-
ginnin2 % be felt in all quarters. The
work of recaiminS the Potomac aats,
which has been in progress during the
past two or three years, and is rapidly
approaching completion, will have to
be suspended for want Of funds. In
dividual claims that have been allow
ed during the past year must await
the action of Congress before they can
be paid. The Post Office Department
has examined and allowed several
thousand clsims OF postmssters, some
OF which have been pending for years.
The claimants have been Informed Of
the allowance of their claims, and as
there is no appropriation available for
their payment the Department is being
flooded with letters from claimants,
each demanding the reason Of delay in
the Payment of his claim, and it has
been found necessary 10 issue circu-
lar letter explaining that the delay in
payment is due TO the failure upon the
part of Congress to provide the necess-
AIRY appropriation.